Dakota “Action” Jackson’s Sports Teen captured the fastest of four $6,000 eliminations of the Polar Express Late Closing Series #3 on Sunday (Dec. 4) at Cumberland.
Driven by Ron Cushing for trainer/owner Jackson, the six-year-old son of Sportwriter rushed right out from post three to take command of opening panels in :27.4 and :58.4. Mr Blissfull (Aaron Hall) sat in the two-hole while Terror Hall (Wally Watson) and wagering favourite Kick The Dirt Up (Matt Athearn) were first and second-over, respectively.
With Sports Teen enjoying a comfortable margin at the 1:28 third stanza, driver Steve Wilson sensed a stalling of the outer flow and moved Touch Of Character three-wide down the backside in an attempt to decrease his lengths behind the leader. At the head of the stretch, Sports Teen found another gear and sprinted off to score by 6-3/4 in 1:58.2. Touch Of Character finished second and Terror Hall was third.
Sports Teen, paying $7.20 to win, earned the 26th victory of his career and will be looking forward to the $15,000 final on Sunday (Dec. 18).
The other three $6,000 Polar Express eliminations were captured by Swellendam (Kevin Switzer Jr., 1:59.4, $12 to win), Twin B Impressive (Bruce Ranger, 2:00.4, $5.40) and Commondiscourtesy (Matt Athearn, 2:00, $35.60).
The $6,500 Open 2 Trot was a wire-to-wire romp for Life Well Lived, who captured the opener for driver Kevin Switzer Jr. in 2:01.3. Trained by Billy DuBois for owner Gordon DuBois Sr., the eight-year-old son of Muscle Mass paid $6.40 to win. Broadway Giant (Ranger) finished second and Sidd Finch (Nick Graffam) was third.
Track record holder Cherry Crown Jewel picked up the 41st win of her career, cruising to a 2:03 victory in the $5,500 Open 3 Trot. Driven by Mark Athearn and trained by Gretchen Athearn, the 10-year-old daughter of RC Royalty paid $8 to win. He is owned by Bill “Yarmouth Lumber” Phipps. And Up We Go (Ranger) finished second and Little Macabee (Hall) was third.
Leading reinsman Bruce Ranger picked up three wins on the card and continues to sit on top of the talented Cumberland drivers colony with 60 seasonal victories. Kevin Switzer Jr. is in second place with 49 trips to the Blue Seal Winner's Circle, following his own hat trick on Sunday. Matty “Ice” Athearn and Walter Case Jr. are tied for third place with 46 wins apiece. The leading conditioner of the meet is Chris Lefebvre with 28 wins. Benson Merrill and Lisa Watson are tied for second in the trainers standings with 20 victories each.
Racing resumes Friday (Dec. 9) and continues through the weekend with the second legs of the three distinct Polar Express Late Closing Series. Cumberland’s extended pari-mutuel harness racing meet runs through Dec. 24 with the first post at 11 a.m. each day.
(With files from First Tracks Cumberland)